


Reuptake

by gingasaur



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Addiction, Episode Related, Episode Remix, F/F, Star Trek: The Next Generation References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:45:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingasaur/pseuds/gingasaur
Summary: TNG's "The Game", as told on DS9.For the 2018 Star Trek Secret Santa exchange.





	Reuptake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ericine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ericine/gifts).



> For [reflectingiridescent](http://reflectingiridescent.tumblr.com/)'s request: Kira/Dax, (any Dax, platonic or romantic), stress relief. It almost feels like a cop-out to have chosen this prompt, but when things happen, they happen. Happy Holidays!

“I don’t think this is for me,” Kira says. Another disc sails by a cone and disappears into the board. _This_ is what’s so much fun? It’s little more than a primitive distraction.

“Just relax,” Jadzia tells her.

Right. Kira’s so great at that. But Jadzia’s earnest face looking back at her from behind the interface makes her want to take a deep breath and try again.

The cone engulfs the disc this time, sucking it down.

Kira laughs. “That actually worked.”

And she never thought it would feel so good.

\---

People wander the Promenade, eyes fixed on their headsets, faces lit up with delight.

Kira drums her fingers on her console and checks her chronometer. This is the longest shift she’s ever been on.

Quark’s playing it. Doctor Bashir’s playing it. Even Odo’s playing it.

“Major,” Chief O’Brien says. “Have you tried this?”

Whether or not he hears her response, she can’t tell. It’s like that everywhere she goes. The same vacant smiles behind every corner.

“There’s something kind of unsettling about this thing,” Kira says later, turning the thin plastic over in her hands.

“The only thing that’s unsettling is how you managed to last the entire day without playing,” Jadzia says. Her hair is ruffled in the back, like she never left her quarters.

“I don’t know how I did it,” Kira says, flopping down onto Jadzia’s bed.

Jadzia smiles down at her, the last thing Kira sees before she activates the interface.

\---

There’s a station-wide announcement. Commander Sisko will scold them – Kira’s sure of it. It’s so out of hand.

“I understand a lot of us have been enraptured by the game Lieutenant Dax brought back from Risa,” he says. “I know I have.”

Kira struggles to imagine Sisko with it, laying around his quarters, ascending levels all day long with a grin.

“Well, I’m happy to announce a day off, for all of us, so we can play.”

No. That can’t be right. Did she mishear?

Jadzia’s already back at it, gasping softly, eyelids fluttering.

Kira scrambles for her headset.

\---

“We haven’t had lunch.”

Jadzia laughs. “We sure haven’t. What level are you on?”

“Fifty-two,” Kira says.

Jadzia’s hair is fanned out behind her, messy and unkempt. Her back arches and her jaw trembles.

“I’ve never felt like this before,” she says, breathless.

Without a doubt, it’s the happiest Kira has ever been. Carefree, unburdened, full of joy. 

This must be what it feels like to be Jadzia.

\---

“I hear beeping,” Kira says.

“I should probably answer that,” Jadzia says, but doesn’t move.

Kira takes her hand eventually, leading her to the terminal. A woman’s face appears on the screen – composed, aloof, and satisfied.

“Lieutenant Dax,” she says. “How are you progressing?”

Jadzia blinks absentmindedly, and the woman on screen frowns.

“With your distribution,” she adds, her words clipped.

“Oh, everyone has the game,” Jadzia answers. “They love it.”

“Excellent,” the woman says. “But what of my request?”

“Hm?” Jadzia asks. “Request?”

The woman scowls. “Is the station secure or not?”

Jadzia loses focus, her gaze drifting back to her headset.

“Lieutenant Dax!”

“Hey!” Kira nudges Jadzia aside and glares into the terminal. “We’re a little busy here.” She doesn’t think for even a moment that it might be rude to hang up – she just does it.

Jadzia’s jaw drops, scandalized. Still, Kira has no regrets. Someone has the gall to interrupt their fun, that’s what they get. 

She grabs Jadzia’s wrist and stomps back to the bed. Along the way, Jadzia begins to laugh, drunken and content.

\---

“Here,” Kira says, helping Jadzia sit up. “Have some water.”

Jadzia drinks deeply. They’ve been so engrossed, it’s been difficult to think of much else.

“Have you ever thought,” Jadzia says, “that we have everything we need right here in this room?” Her hand shakes as she sets the glass down. “A replicator, someone to talk to, a bathroom. We never need to leave.”

She swings her legs up onto the bed and lies back, her head coming to rest on Kira’s lap.

“I love this,” Jadzia says.

She’s not looking at the game.

\---

Jadzia blinks slowly, forcing her eyes open. Kira, too, drifts off, jolts awake, drifts off, over and over again.

“We need to sleep,” Kira murmurs.

“Just one more level.” Jadzia’s voice is rough.

Kira gently removes Jadzia’s headset, and she weakly protests. 

“Think about how much fun we’ll have tomorrow when we’re all rested,” Kira says.

She helps Jadzia into bed, pulls up the covers, even fluffs her pillow.

“You have big circles under your eyes,” Jadzia says. 

“Go to sleep.”

“You, too.” Jadzia twirls her fingers around Kira’s wrist.

“I’m okay.”

Jadzia frowns. “You just want to get ahead of me.”

The thought is tempting. But so is the thought of going to sleep, right now, right here.

The headsets are right by the bed, and flying discs are all Kira can see when she shuts her eyes, so she moves them all the way to Jadzia’s bookshelves.

Jadzia is already asleep when Kira climbs in behind her, and the bed is warm.

\---

They each awaken startled, drenched in sweat.

“My head,” Jadzia mumbles.

Kira feels the same, like a bad hangover. “What time is it?”

It doesn’t matter. It’s time to play. But she’s still so tired, and thinking about staring at the game for another five hours makes her head pound harder.

“Jadzia,” Kira says. “Something’s not right.” It’s like there’s someone directly behind her, gearing up to pounce. The hair on the back of her neck stands on end.

Jadzia feels around on her night stand. “We need to play.”

“No,” Kira says, and it’s the first thing she’s been sure of in days.

Jadzia stumbles out of bed. “Where did you put them?”

Kira calls to her, but she doesn’t listen. She finds the games on her shelves and takes them both with desperate, trembling hands.

It’s not right. Jadzia never acts like this. Kira has to get those things away from her.

When she does, Jadzia’s fury is indescribable.

“What are you doing?” The rage behind her eyes would be frightening on anyone, but on Jadzia, it’s terrifying. She’ll lash out – it’s just a question of when.

“These games are doing something to us,” Kira asserts.

“Give it to me.”

“No.”

“ _Give it to me!_ ” Jadzia surges forward, and Kira tosses the headsets onto the floor, away from them both. Jadzia thrashes like a beast, but there’s no strength behind her attack. She’s shaking too hard.

Kira grabs both her arms. “Jadzia, look at me.”

“Let me have it!”

“Look at me!”

She does, and her wrath flips to fear. Her pupils are huge.

They sink to the floor, Jadzia gripping Kira’s arm.

“What is happening?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” Kira says. “But we’re going to find out.”

It takes her a moment to realize she’s shaking, too.

\---

“Who was that woman who called you?” Kira asks. “Did she give you the game?”

Jadzia’s forehead is still damp. Her grip on her water glass is tight.

“Yes,” she says. “Her name was Etana. We really hit it off. Or at least I thought we did.”

“She asked if the station was secure,” Kira says. “She’s trying to control the station by controlling us. That’s why the game is so addicting, and that’s why we all wanted to spread it.”

“But it didn’t seem to do anything other than make us want to play,” Jadzia says. “You saw that. She asked me all those questions and I just stared at her.”

“Something didn’t work the way she expected,” Kira says.

Jadzia leans her elbows on the table and puts her head in her hands.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kira asks.

“Yeah,” Jadzia says. Both her arms begin trembling again. “Sorry,” she adds. “I’m so tired. Did we sleep at all?”

“I don’t know,” Kira says.

If they were both at their best, they might be able to protect the station. Their chances are a lot slimmer like this.

But they’re the only ones left who can do something.

Kira reaches across the table and lays her hand atop Jadzia’s, looks her in the eye.

“We have everything we need, right here in this room,” she says. “Remember?”

Jadzia turns her hand over and opens her palm. “Yes,” she responds. She shuts her eyes and takes a long breath. “Yes, we do.”

\---

If they can concoct a program to release a sedative throughout the station, they can have plenty of time to round up all the games and destroy them. They’ll have a station full of angry people in withdrawal, but it’s better than the game spreading out to Bajor. Kira doesn’t even want to think about the rest of the system. 

They’ll need EV suits to stay conscious themselves. 

“I can’t leave you by yourself,” Kira says. Not to mention what will happen if anyone sees through their replicated fakes while she’s out alone.

“Sure you can,” Jadzia says. She picks up her real headset and snaps it in half, tossing the remnants onto the floor. “Go. I have to get the program ready before Etana contacts anyone else.”

Kira rigs a transport to the lockers and back, but Odo finds her there, the suits draped over her arm and the helmets in her hands.

“What’s this?” he asks.

Even with his headset, he’s still patrolling. Some instincts can’t be suppressed.

“Odo,” Kira says, forcing herself to sound as dazed as possible. “Jadzia and I are going to install signal buffers outside, for the transmitters. Then we can hook up the games, and everyone in the sector can have fun with us.”

If she runs, it’s over. Her only hope is Odo losing interest on his own.

“Hmm.” Odo studies her as best he can, but the game proves too distracting. “Hmm,” he says again, and smiles, strolling away.

Kira’s never hit her combadge faster in her life.

\---

Jadzia holds up a data rod.

“That’s it?” Kira asks.

“Were you expecting more flair?” Jadzia’s too tired for anything more than a wry smirk.

Kira fastens her helmet and adjusts her phaser. “The longer we can go without having to shoot anyone, the better.” It’s almost as if they’re going to face the Borg. Go as long as possible without being noticed. Only fire when you have no choice.

It’s also better not to think about all the ways this could go wrong.

“Ready?” Jadzia asks.

Kira thinks they’ve never been less ready.

\---

It takes two minutes for someone to notice them. Three to be asked, “Where are your games?” Five minutes until the first punch is thrown, the first bloody nose is made.

“How long?” Kira shouts.

“It’s not accepting the program,” Jadzia says, fingers flying over her console. “That’s not really a shock.”

At first, the crew’s movements are sluggish, but now the aggression is coming. Kira fires off shot after shot, stunning as many people as possible while alarms blare.

“Got it!” Jadzia says. “Two minutes until the sedative is released.” 

Two minutes. People are coming up the turbolift, and they’re armed. Kira and Jadzia are sequestered at the console, picking off who they can. 

Someone jumps and tackles Jadzia to the floor. Someone else comes for Kira, but even weighed down by her suit, she darts out of the way and sends them to the floor. She keeps running and shooting; it’s the only thing she can do. People are coming faster now, but none of them attend to the console with their data rod. It’s like they don’t even see it.

They only want one thing: to get games on both their heads.

Up the stairs, at the doors to Sisko’s office, she sees Jadzia pinned down, wrestling three others who hound her about her game. They pry off her helmet.

It’s this distraction that makes her hesitate long enough for Sisko’s doors to open behind her. He has his arm around her helmet before she can react.

“Major,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re not playing.”

The crowd around Jadzia dissipates, and they leave her on the floor, staring blankly into a headset.

“Play the game, Major,” Sisko says.

Kira says a quick prayer for forgiveness, and then with all her strength, she knocks Sisko off his balance and flips him over her head.

When she looks up, she sees the vents open.

Her suit is still pressurized, but even so, she holds her breath.

\---

It’s almost like a dream. Maybe something more like a collective nightmare. Jadzia thinks it looks like the aftermath to a terrible party, one where everyone had far too much to drink because there wasn’t anything else to do, and now it’s the next morning and no one wants to make eye contact.

Etana’s detainment is easy – her ship is barely armed. Once Kira gets Doctor Bashir calmed down, the detoxing is even easier.

“Swinging between serotonin levels,” he grouses. “It’s a wonder no one blew a hole in the station.”

He discovers that the game was meant to carry another payload: the addiction was supposed to work in tandem with strong susceptibility to suggestion. They were meant to follow Etana’s every command, instead of treating her like a nuisance when she called.

“Why wasn’t anyone affected by the mind control aspect?” Kira asks.

“She didn’t account for the wormhole,” Bashir says. “Its natural emissions worked as a suppressant.”

Etana would have been better off picking any traveling starship. How could she predict the Prophets?

Everyone is quiet in Ops, none more so than Jadzia. When Kira asks how she’s doing, Jadzia just grumbles, “Dwelling on almost getting everyone killed.”

Kira shakes her head. “You could never have known the game would do all that.”

Jadzia sighs. “I knew the moment that disc went into the cone, something wasn’t right. But it felt so good, I didn’t care.”

“That’s my point,” Kira says. “We were manipulated.”

“Very easily.”

“So Etana had a good plan,” Kira says. “But it wasn’t good enough.”

“Yeah,” Jadzia agrees. “She didn’t expect you.”

She’s about to correct to her – not me, the Prophets – but Jadzia asks, “When did you realize something was wrong?” She chuckles. “Was it when I invited you to bed?”

“No,” Kira answers.

It’s the truth, but it seems to be a surprise. Jadzia looks up, her hands frozen over her console.

“Really?”

“Really,” Kira says. “It was when you lost control the next morning. There was so much going on in my own head but that, _that_ I knew wasn’t right.”

“Huh,” Jadzia says, and resumes her work.

At the end of their shift, Jadzia says, “I need a vacation all over again.”

Kira can certainly relate. “Well,” she says, “maybe we can keep it simple with drinks.”

“Just no drinking _games_ ,” Jadzia adds.

Kira nods. “No drinking games.”

Perhaps now that they’ve earned it, it won’t be so hard to “just relax”.


End file.
